Originally Posted by gobbler
Originally Posted by CNC
I hate to have to point it out again but Dr. Lashley and Dr. Gulsby are being bias………..I don’t really think that they’re doing it intentionally but rather more like just natural human tendency to see a piece of information and only see the part that validates your idea or your argument……The bias comes in when you don’t also see and give the same weight toward all the other “butterfly effects” that are occurring along with that one you cherry pick out……

Pot meet kettle rolleyes

Originally Posted by CNC
Most natural fires in the Southeast historically occurred from late spring to early summer (April to June). This peak corresponds with the region's natural dry spells and the start of the summer thunderstorm season, which generates high levels of lightning strikes across highly flammable vegetation like longleaf pine and wiregrass.

While the late spring and early summer act as the primary lightning-ignited fire season, fire activity in the Southeast is highly dependent on seasonal weather patterns. The distinct timing of natural and wildfire occurrences breaks down as follows:

• The Primary Season (April–June): This is historically when the vast majority of natural fires ignited. The seasonal shift transitions from cool, dry spring weather to frequent thunderstorms before the heavy, wet summer monsoon pattern fully sets in.

We burn most every day that you can from mid Jan through late June. The breakdown is as follows from 2020-2026

January-March
244 burn days
April - June
141 burn days

It is immeasurably harder to get fires to burn in late May - July, I don't care if it is lightning season or not. The fact that there are 50% less burning days in April, May and June tells me that that is NOT when most acreage burned in our area historically. In addition, wildfire acreage per incident is WAY higher in Jan-Mar when the fuel is dry and winds are higher. This time of year, the fuel is wet, humidity is up and there is little wind. Wildfires in Feb, historically could have started in Dallas county and be burning in Barbour county 2 weeks later. This time of year, wildfires are very limited to small acres. However, I am sure you will have some justification for your inaccurate opinion.

I have wondered about the "historical" burning season in Alabama, and especially in the great long leaf forest. I don't think there could be much doubt that in my area the Creeks were burning in February to March. I've read many of the books written in their late period by the old traders and government agents, and most of them wrote about this.

What I have no idea about is what was happening 1000 years ago and longer. Did the previous Indians create the forest by constant burning, or did they just maintain what was already here? I don't know, but don't think it really matters; we know how they maintained it.

I often criticize our government, so let me praise it a little. I remember that the Forest Service developed a plan maybe 30 years ago to restore the national forest outside Sylacauga to the way it used to be. I can remember when it looked nothing like it does today. Back then it looked like a lot of private land with a lot of loblolly, thick understory, and hardwood where it didn't belong. I think some of the fires they used in the restoration efforts were later in the year, but once it was restored they went to February and March fires. They still have a ways to go, but much of it now looks like what I thought the great forest used to look. There's turkeys on it, but they have gotta be hard to hunt as they can see you for a half mile in places.

Carry on. smile

All the labor of man is for his mouth, and yet the appetite is not filled.